Underneath the Surface
by The Swordsman
Summary: Kai & the D-Boys are determined to take BIOVOLT down. Can they succeed despite meddlesome Bladebreakers & ambush attempts? To make matters worse: Kai's slowly being killed by his own supernatural abilities. Pairings: Kai/Tala; Spencer/Bryan. UNDER REVISON
1. Starting Something

_**Disclaimer:** I do not own Beyblade or any of the characters therein. I am making no monetary profit from this or any of my other fanfiction stories; they are written solely for my own enjoyment and the enjoyment of other fanfiction readers._

_**Summary:** __Kai and the Demolition Boys are determined to take BIOVOLT down. Can they succeed despite meddlesome Bladebreakers and ambush attempts? To make matters worse: Kai's slowly being killed by his own supernatural abilities. Pairings: Kai/Tala; Spencer/Bryan. **This story is rated Mature because of the profanities, the romantic pairings, and the lemon scenes! If you are offended by any of these things then do not read this story!**_

_**Author's Note:**__ Unless otherwise indicated, the characters are all speaking in Japanese, because the Bladebreakers are a Japanese beyblading team, even though the team members are of varying nationalities. The Bladebreakers and the Demolition Boys are also fluent in English, because English, Russian, and Japanese are the official languages of professional beyblading; therefore, when they are around the American or other European beyblading teams, they speak English because the American and European teams speak in English unless otherwise noted._

* * *

Underneath the Surface

Key

"Speaking"

"**Speaking in Russian"**

'Thoughts'

_Dreams and Flashbacks_

"(Speaking in Another Language)"

*Visions*

/Tala Talking Telepathically to Kai/

//Kai Talking Telepathically to Tala//

{Others Talking to Kai Telepathically}

{{Kai Talking to Others Telepathically}}

* * *

Chapter One: Starting Something

Hearing the polite knock on his office door, Stanley Dickenson, the President of the BBA, set his paperwork aside. "Yes?" The door swung open, allowing the kindly old man to see his visitors: The recently-crowned world champion Beyblading team, the Bladebreakers. Tyson Granger, Max Tate, Rei Kon, and Kenny the team statistician and data analyst, were clustered together in the doorway. Kai Hiwatari, the stoic slate-haired Captain, stood apart from his teammates. "Come right in, boys," Dickenson beckoned with a smile. The President of the Beyblade Association motioned to the chairs set in a semi-circle around his desk. "Make yourselves comfortable."

"So," Rei began as he sat down, "What did you want to see us about, Mr. Dickenson?"

"Yes," Kenny added, "It sounded quite urgent."

Mr. Dickenson's genial smile faded. "We need to discuss the events of the World Championships. The BBA is concerned that BIOVOLT may still be in business, albeit at another location."

"What does that have to do with us?" Tyson asked, idly adjusting his cap.

"Well..." Mr. Dickenson's eyes involuntarily came to rest on Kai, who had chosen to ignore the proffered seats in favor of occupying one of the shadowed corners.

The crimson-eyed blader scowled fiercely, irritated by the old man's staring. "What?" Kai growled menacingly.

Belatedly realizing that his gaze had lingered too long, the BBA President hurriedly looked away. "Well, it doesn't have anything to do with you personally, Tyson," he explained, smoothing the whiskers of his gray mustache. "However, all beyblading teams need to be notified about the BBA's suspicions." The elderly man paused, taking a moment to gather his thoughts before he cautiously glanced at the Bladebreakers' Captain. "The BBA," Dickenson continued, choosing his words carefully, "Is going to need some information from the Demolition Boys, as well as you, Kai."

"And what makes you think," Kai demanded icily, "I would know what that power-crazed _lunatic_ is planning?"

Mr. Dickenson was unable to suppress a wince as the Phoenix-blader glared at him with blazing blood-red eyes. "I don't believe you have any knowledge of Voltaire's future plans," Dickenson began, keeping his voice gentle and warm. The slate-haired teen's posture and expression didn't change and the sharp stare didn't waver. "But..." The Phoenix's eyes narrowed ominously. "…You could give us some insight as to how your grandfather-"

"Don't you _ever_ refer to that _bastard_ as my grandfather again!" Kai snarled, balling his hands into tight fists and piercing his skin with his fingernails. The slate-haired Russian took a measured breath, concentrating on the pain from the freshly-inflicted, crescent-shaped cuts and using it to center himself.

"R-Right," Stanley stuttered. The elderly man composed himself and continued, "Perhaps you could give us some insight about how Voltaire will retaliate against the BBA or about where BIOVOLT might have moved their center of operations. We discovered their base at Balkov Abbey, so it's unlikely that Boris and Voltaire will have stayed in Russia."

Kai gave a bark-like laugh, startling his teammates and making Dickenson's eyes widen. "Voltaire has several other bases scattered around the world. It would be nearly impossible to determine which one he's designated to be the new headquarters." The Phoenix shook his head and flashed a tight, toothy, and undeniably disturbing smile at Dickenson. "Besides," Kai concluded, "You shouldn't waste your time trying to find him. He'll come to you eventually."

Max, the blond Bladebreaker, cleared his throat uneasily. "Why would he do that, Kai?"

"Because," Tala Valkov said, inadvertently frightening the Bladebreakers and Mr. Dickenson with his sudden appearance, "You have something he wants."

"What could Voltaire possibly want from us?" Kenny asked timidly as the red-haired Captain of the Demolition Boys stepped forward, smoothly preceding Ian Papov, Bryan Kuznetsov, and Spencer Petrov into the office.

"Us," the ice-eyed Russian answered plainly.

Recovering from the most-recent surprise, Mr. Dickenson genially waved the Russian beyblading team into his office. "My secretary was supposed to notify me of your arrival. Please, have a seat."

"Tch," Bryan snorted his opinion of Mr. Dickenson's blond receptionist as he, Ian, and Spencer settled into the vacant seats while Tala crossed the room and stood next to Kai.

* * *

//How are you?//

Tala jumped imperceptibly, startled by Kai's telepathic question. /We're doing better now that we're away from BIOVOLT. Well,/ Tala amended, /For the time-being at least./ The Wolf surveyed the slate-haired Russian with scrutinizing glacier-blue eyes, /You look-/

//Hot?// Kai offered, making the redhead blush.

/Naturally,/ Tala answered, though his forehead creased slightly. /I was going to say that you look tired./

//I'm fine,// Kai sighed wearily.

/Liar,/ Tala snorted, clearly unconvinced. He nudged Kai with his elbow. /What's wrong?/

The crimson-eyed blader frowned and absently pinched the bridge of his nose. //Dickenson is right,// Kai muttered. //Voltaire is planning something big. I...// The Phoenix hesitated.

Tala's lips tipped downwards, betraying his concern for the other teen. /You what?/

//I've been sensing it for the last few days,// Kai finally confessed.

/Why didn't you contact me!?/

//And tell you what?// Kai retorted, raising an incredulous eyebrow. The slate-haired Russian crossed his arms in front of his broad, muscular chest. //Hey, Tala,// he deadpanned, //Voltaire is up to something, but I don't know where he is or what his plans are. Can you come hold my hand?//

Tala frowned. /You have a point, but you still should've contacted us./ The redhead nudged Kai again, this time playfully, as he continued, /Besides, I wasn't aware that you were against holding hands./

//You're impossible.//

/Yep,/ Tala smirked, /I learned from the best./

* * *

Ian cleared his throat, attracting Bryan and Spencer's attention. **"I think we're missing something,"** he said in Russian. The three Demolition Boys glanced at the other Russians just in time to see Tala elbow Kai.

"**We're definitely missing something,"** Bryan muttered moodily.

"**I always feel left out when they talk to each other telepathically,"** Spencer confessed. **"It'd be nice to be included in that kind of connection."**

"Hey!" Tyson demanded suspiciously, bringing the Russians' conversation to an abrupt halt. "What're you talking about!?"

"Tyson," Mr. Dickenson reprimanded gently, "The Demolition Boys are on our side and I will not allow you to persecute them because of the past." As Tyson returned to his chair, grumbling quietly to himself, Stanley turned to the Russian bladers, "And boys, it's impolite to speak in a language that not all of us can understand."

"Tch," Bryan scoffed under his breath.

Mr. Dickenson cleared his throat and turned to Tala and Kai. "If we were to bring in a map, could you identify the locations of any other BIOVOLT bases?"

Tala's forehead creased. "I know a few, but I wouldn't recommend chasing after Voltaire. Like Kai said, he'll come to us and it'd be more dangerous for you to confront him on BIOVIOLT property."

"Yeah," Spencer agreed, "Voltaire would have the home-turf advantage."

"Perhaps," Dickenson agreed. "Nevertheless, the BBA would appreciate any information you could give us." The BBA President turned to Kenny. "Could Dizzi project a map of the world onto the wall and mark down the bases as we learn of their locations?"

"I'd be more than happy to," Dizzi, the bit beast trapped in Kenny's laptop computer, replied.

The other Russians looked to Tala and Kai, waiting for their decision. **"Why should we give the BBA this information?"** Ian asked.

"**Yeah,"** Bryan agreed. **"They can't do anything except annoy Voltaire."**

"**It's up to ****_us_**** to bring BIOVOLT down,"** Spencer added.

"**Yes, it is,"** Tala nodded. **"But the BBA could be a useful ally."**

"**How so?" **The Falcon asked.

"**At least if something happens to us, the BBA will have an idea of where to start searching for whatever's left of our corpses,"** Kai deadpanned, his gallows humor garnering amused snorts of laughter from the other Russians.

"Okay then," Spencer said, switching back to Japanese as he got to his feet and approached the map. He pointed out a few spots on the South American continent. As the blond Russian reclaimed his seat, Ian got up and added a two more points to the map, one on the Australian continent and another in Africa. Bryan added several bases in North America and Canada before Tala moved closer to the map. After silently studying the map for a few minutes, Tala pointed out several locations in the Europe.

* * *

As Kai watched his friends point out various coordinates on the large map, blinding pain unexpectedly seared through the Phoenix's head. He leaned heavily against the wall, trying to cope with the sudden onslaught. 'I need...' Pain blazed through him, scattering his thoughts like ashes on the wind. //Tala-//

* * *

The Russian Wolf moved to add more locations to the map, but stopped short when he heard Kai's telepathic call. Tala whirled around, startling everyone, to see Kai leaning heavily against the wall. "Kai!" The glacier-eyed teen reached his lover just as Kai's knees started to buckle. The redhead steadied the slate-haired Russian, helping him stay on his feet. **"It's all right, Kai. I've got you."**

"**I can't hold it back,"** Kai gasped, his body beginning to tremble.

"**Don't fight it,"** Tala murmured, his lips brushing the lobe of Kai's ear as he embraced the Phoenix from behind. **"Fighting it will only make it worse."** Tala's arms tightened, holding the slate-haired teen securely against his own body as the precognitive vision overpowered Kai's mental barriers.

Kai's head snapped back, pressing into Tala's collarbone as his body shook and spasmed. Unaware of the frightened cries of the Bladebreakers, Kai stared unseeingly at the ceiling, glazed crimson eyes focused on something else entirely. The Captain's lips parted, allowing a pained hiss to escape. Abruptly released from the vision's clutches, he sagged against Tala and struggled to steady his erratic heart rate and breathing. **"God…"** Kai gasped, resting his pounding forehead against the base of the Russian Wolf's throat. Kai was distantly aware that Tala was talking solely because of the gentle vibrations of his vocal cords against his temple.

"Spencer," Tala requested softly, "Will you get him some water?"

"My word," Mr. Dickenson spoke up as Spencer nodded and left the office. "Is he all right? Should I call an ambulance?"

Tala shook his head slightly, causing Kai to grunt in protest at the movement. "No, that's not necessary."

"Somebody had better tell us what the heck's going on," Tyson declared loudly.

Kai lifted his head and glared daggers at the Dragon-blader. "**Shut the fuck ****_up_****, Tyson,"** the Phoenix growled in Russian.

"Huh?" Tyson's face clouded over with a bewildered expression.

"**Kai, it would help if you'd speak in a language he understands,"** Tala murmured quietly.

The Phoenix gave Dragoon's master an annoyed glare before dismissing the younger bluenette from his thoughts. Kai squeezed his eyes shut as an aftershock of pain rippled through his head. **"Not worth the effort…"** Kai muttered, his words inaudible to all except Tala.

Tyson blinked. "Huh?"

"He politely asked you to be quiet," Ian translated diplomatically.

Bryan snorted. "Actually, he told you to 'shut the fuck up.'"

"Why I oughta-" Tyson fumed, but was distracted from his anger when Spencer returned with the requested bottle of water and handed it to the state-haired teen.

After sipping at some of the cool liquid, Kai straightened and managed a few steps on his own toward the balcony doors before he faltered. Tala steadied the bluenette by wrapping his arm around his lover's waist and draping Kai's arm across his shoulders. **"You okay?"**

"**I need some air,"** Kai said quietly.

"**Okay,"** Tala replied as he guided Kai towards the door that led to the small balcony. Ian, Spencer, and Bryan sent questioning looks at their red-haired Captain, but the Wolf-blader shook his head, silently telling them not to follow. Deciding to ignore the looks they were getting from Mr. Dickenson and the Bladebreakers, the remaining Demolition Boys returned to work on the map of BIOVOLT bases.

* * *

"What did you see?"

Kai shrugged. "Flashes mostly."

"Of?"

Kai closed his eyes. "A punishment room. Boris' favorite whip…the one with the six lashes…each strip of leather dripping with blood. Blood. So much blood…"

Tala shivered as Kai's flat voice chilled the blood in his veins. "Before, when you said you'd been sensing that Voltaire was planning something, did you mean visions like this last one?"

The slate-haired blader was silent for several minutes before answering, "No, at first it was just dreams. It's only in the last few days that I've started having waking premonitions, but…" Kai trailed off.

"But?"

"They're getting worse."

The Russian Wolf paled. "Worse?"

"It's like there's this…pressure…that's building up inside," Kai haltingly explained, gripping the balcony's metal railing with white-knuckled fingers. "The only outlet that pressure has is my body and my conscious mind. If things continue as they are now…."

Tala swallowed thickly. "Is there anything we can do?"

Kai's garnet eyes bore into Tala's ice-blue ones. "No." The Phoenix absently massaged his temple as he continued, "In the meantime, we have to train. We need to be at our best if we're going to go after Voltaire."

Tala nodded. "What should we tell the others?" the redhead asked after a short pause.

Kai sighed. "I'd prefer to keep the worsening side effects of the premonitions between the two of us. The others need to focus on training and I don't want them to be distracted by my problems."

"All right," Tala slowly consented. "But you know they're going to figure out that something's wrong. We'll have to tell them eventually."

"Yeah, I know," the Phoenix sighed. They stood in silence for several more minutes before Kai said, "Let's get to work on that map."

"You're sure you're up for it?"

"I'll manage," Kai answered grimly.

* * *

**_Author's Notes:_** _So, there it is: The re-written/revised version of Chapter One. I hope that it was worth the wait. Please leave me reviews and let me know what you think._


	2. Fumigation Crew

_**Disclaimer:**__ I do not own Beyblade or any of the characters therein. I am making no monetary profit from this or any of my other fanfiction stories; they are written solely for my own enjoyment and the enjoyment of other fanfiction readers._

_**Summary:**__ Kai and the Demolition Boys are determined to take BIOVOLT down. Can they succeed despite meddlesome Bladebreakers and ambush attempts? To make matters worse: Kai's slowly being killed by his own supernatural abilities. Pairings: Kai/Tala; Spencer/Bryan. __**This story is rated **__**Mature**__** because of the profanities, the romantic pairings, and the lemon scenes! If you are offended by any of these things then do **__**not**__** read this story!**_

_**Author's Note:**__ Unless otherwise indicated, the characters are all speaking in Japanese, because the Bladebreakers are a Japanese beyblading team, even though the team members are of varying nationalities. The Bladebreakers and the Demolition Boys are also fluent in English, because English, Russian, and Japanese are the official languages of professional beyblading; therefore, when they are around the American or other European beyblading teams, they speak English because the American and European teams speak in English unless otherwise noted._

* * *

Underneath the Surface

Key

"Speaking"

"**Speaking in Russian"**

'Thoughts'

_Dreams and Flashbacks_

"(Speaking in Another Language)"

*Visions*

/Tala Talking Telepathically to Kai/

//Kai Talking Telepathically to Tala//

{Others Talking to Kai Telepathically}

{{Kai Talking to Others Telepathically}}

* * *

Chapter Two: Fumigation Crew

Kai and Tala returned to Dickenson's office and walked over to where Ian, Bryan, and Spencer were looking at the map. **"How's it coming?"** Tala asked.

"**We've made some progress,"** Spencer answered. He eyed Kai's too-pale complexion. **"You feeling better?"**

"**I'm fine,"** Kai grunted.

Bryan asked, "Can you add any more points to the map?"

"I can," Kai said. "Dizzi, shrink this map down and bring up a clear one. Make all of my points a different color."

"You're the boss, Boss," Dizzi remarked.

Kai immediately pointed out Balkov Abbey. The stoic Captain studied the blank map for several minutes before beginning to point out bases all over the globe. "Now," Kai said, "Combine the two maps."

Dizzi complied and the Bladebreakers stared with amazement. "All of Kai's points match the ones the Demolition Boys had," Max exclaimed.

"Not all of them," Ian remarked thoughtfully. "I see three that don't match at all. Are those top secret bases, Kai?"

"Yes," Kai nodded.

"Well as fun as it is to watch you plot dots on a map," Tyson commented sarcastically, "I'm hungry. I'm going for lunch." Everyone except for the Demolition Boys, Kai, and Kenny headed for the door.

"We'll stay here and keep working," Tala said.

Kai turned to the bespectacled Bladebreaker. "Aren't you going with them?"

"No, I'd like to stay here and help," the statistician said. "If that's all right," he amended uncertainly.

"The more the merrier," Spencer remarked nonchalantly.

Tyson merely shrugged his shoulders. "Suit yourselves."

* * *

Tala waited until the door clicked shut after the departing Bladebreakers before he turned to Kenny and Dizzi, eyeing the shorter teen and the laptop suspiciously. **"Can they be trusted?"**

"**They're clear,"** Kai assured the redhead.

"So, now that they're gone," Spencer spoke up, "How 'bout we take care of the infestation in this office?"

Kenny paled. "Infestation!?"

Ian raised an eyebrow at the Bladebreakers' statistician. "Not _real_ bugs," the shortest Russian teen explained quietly, "Listening devices."

"How do you know Mr. Dickenson's office is bugged?" Kenny asked in a whisper. "Do you know where they are?"

"The phone, the vase of flowers on the desk, the light fixture and light switch, and in each of the corners," Kai answered.

"Kai and I will go high," Tala remarked as he fit Wolborg into his launcher, "Bryan, Spencer, take the globe and the phone."

Kai fit Dranzer in to his launcher and counted down the launch, "Three, two, one!" Beyblades flew: Wolborg smashed into two corners of the room, Dranzer obliterated the light fixture and the remaining corners, while Spencer and Bryan used their blades to smash the bouquet of flowers and telephone.

Ian gathered up the pieces and tossed them over the railing of the balcony. "Hopefully that will be the only surprise we get from Voltaire today," Ian muttered as he returned from outside.

Kenny cleared his throat. "How did you know where those bugs were hidden, Kai?"

The slate-haired Captain shrugged. "Logic."

"If you knew the bugs were here," Dizzi pressed, "Why did you wait to get rid of them? Why not destroy them right away?"

"BIOVOLT didn't gain any kind of tactical advantage," Tala said.

"If anything," Bryan added, "It gave us an edge."

"An edge?" Kenny questioned confusedly, "How so?"

"BIOVOLT is operating under the misconception that we're going to wait for them to make the first move," Kai answered with a grim smirk.

Kenny's forehead furrowed. "You're not going to let BIOVOLT come to you, like you told Mr. Dickenson?"

Kai shook his head. "The best defense is a strong offense," the crimson-eyed Phoenix replied matter-of-factly.

"Speaking of offense," Ian said as he gestured at the map, "Staring at this map isn't going to help us find Boris and Voltaire."

"Not unless Kai can pick up on any more vibes," Bryan remarked.

"That's why you three are going to hack into the BIOVOLT computer mainframe," Kai said rationally as he regarded the lilac-haired Russian with a withering glare. "By isolating the base with the most activity, we can probably determine which center is the new headquarters."

"Yes, Sir. Right away, Sir," Bryan quipped as he, Spencer, and Ian all crowded around Ian's laptop which the smallest Demolition Boy had set up on Mr. Dickenson's desk.

/Kai?/

//What?//

/You've been able to control what you see in your precognitive visions before, right?/ Crimson eyes narrowed slightly in warning, but Tala continued without waiting for the slate-haired Captain to reply. /Do you think you could do it again to find Voltaire?/

//Tala, there are consequences for using the foresight that way,// Kai argued. //When I intentionally trigger a premonition, my control over my other powers weakens. I could accidentally kill us all.//

/Stopping Voltaire is worth the risk,/ Tala persisted. The redhead's ice-blue eyes softened as he continued, /I know you can do it, Kai. I'll be right here beside you, no matter what happens./

Kai sighed. //I don't want you or the others to get hurt, Tala,// the Bladebreakers Captain confessed quietly.

Tala regarded his lover with a look that clearly said 'We can take care of ourselves, Hiwatari.'

"**Lock the door,"** Kai reluctantly consented.

* * *

**_Author's Notes: Okay, there's Chapter Two. I know it's a bit short, but Chapter One was a decent length and Chapter Three is a bit longer too. Chapter Three should be posted in a few days (hopefully) because I want to add a glossary for the Japanese and Russian words I'm going to be using periodically throughout the rest of the story._**


	3. Encounters With Cameras

Underneath the Surface

_**Disclaimer:**__ I do not own Beyblade or any of the characters therein. I am making no monetary profit from this or any of my other fanfiction stories; they are written solely for my own enjoyment and the enjoyment of other fanfiction readers._

_**Summary:**__ Kai and the Demolition Boys are determined to take BIOVOLT down. Can they succeed despite meddlesome Bladebreakers and ambush attempts? To make matters worse: Kai's slowly being killed by his own supernatural abilities. Pairings: Kai/Tala; Spencer/Bryan. __**This story is rated **__**Mature**__** because of the profanities, the romantic pairings, and the lemon scenes! If you are offended by any of these things then do **__**not**__** read this story!**_

_**Author's Note:**__ Unless otherwise indicated, the characters are all speaking in Japanese, because the Bladebreakers are a Japanese beyblading team, even though the team members are of varying nationalities. The Bladebreakers and the Demolition Boys are also fluent in English, because English, Russian, and Japanese are the official languages of professional beyblading; therefore, when they are around the American or other European beyblading teams, they speak English because the American and European teams speak in English unless otherwise noted._

* * *

Key

"Speaking"

"**Speaking in Russian"**

'Thoughts'

Dreams and Flashbacks

"(Speaking in Another Language")

*Visions*

/Tala Talking Telepathically to Kai/

//Kai Talking Telepathically to Tala//

{Others Talking to Kai Telepathically}

{{Kai Talking to Others Telepathically}}

* * *

Glossary of Russian and Japanese Terminology:

-Sama: A Japanese honorific; one of the most formal, respectful forms of address; "Lord."

Niet: "No" in Russian.

Ano: The Japanese equivalent of "Um."

Shimatta: "Damn it" or "Damn" in Japanese.

* * *

Chapter Three: Encounters with Cameras

"What're you guys doing?" Kenny questioned curiously as Kai moved to the center of Mr. Dickenson's office and waited for Tala to finish locking the door.

"Nothing."

Unsatisfied with Kai's answer, Kenny watched closely as Tala crossed the room and stood in front of the bluenette. He offered Kai a reassuring smile. /You can do this./

Kai nodded imperceptibly and steeled himself for what he was about to do. 'I hope this isn't a mistake.' Kai briefly closed his crimson eyes before slowly re-opening them. The Phoenix-blader forced down a surge of panic as his vision blurred and colors bled together. The familiar sensation of his heart beating rapidly against his ribcage made his stomach twist violently and his breathing quickened as the raw power of the sight coursed through him. Kai's breathing hitched as he swayed, suddenly dizzy, before everything abruptly dimmed to black!

* * *

*Kai's eyes narrowed warily as new surroundings solidified, appearing from the onyx-black darkness. The Phoenix-blader's blood-red eyes widened when he saw the other Demolition Boys: The other Russians had been bound to sterile medical tables and immobilized with heavy metal chains. The slate-haired Captain tried to move towards them to free the captive bladers, but discovered, to his growing horror, that he was also strapped down to a stainless steel examination table.

A scientist cloaked in a doctor's coat approached the caged Phoenix with a syringe full of black liquid. The crimson-eyed blader didn't flinch when the man roughly stuck the needle into the flesh between Kai's neck and shoulder and pushed the plunger down, disbursing the unknown chemical into Kai's bloodstream. The bluenette bit his lip, inadvertently drawing blood as drug-induced fire scorched through his body, burning him from the inside out. Kai strained against the bindings that kept him pinned to the experimentation table, but the steel didn't give way to his strength.

A brilliant flash of light seared into Kai's eyes, temporarily blinding him as a distorted image of the coliseum in Rome was etched into his memory.

There was another flash of light and Kai found himself trapped inside a large glass cylinder that was flooding with murky blue liquid. His skin tingled unpleasantly as the liquid swelled up higher, like a river overflowing its banks and flooding the surrounding areas. The chemical mixture covered the slate-haired teen's head and Kai punched the glass, trying to break free, but his strength was being siphoned out of his body.

Pain flared, attacking all of the sensitive nerve endings in his body at once and Kai screamed, his voice muffled by the liquid as it immediately rushed into his mouth. His lungs burned, begging for oxygen: He was out of air, but there was none…he couldn't breathe…. Flame-red eyes dulled and glazed over as the world was swallowed up by ravenous shadows.*

* * *

Tala bit his lip as he carefully observed the other Captain: Kai's crimson eyes slid out of focus, his breathing quickened, and perspiration beaded on Kai's snow-white skin. /Be strong, Kai,/ the red-haired Wolf murmured telepathically, even though he knew that his lover couldn't hear the encouraging words: The bluenette had closed his side of the link, blocking all forms of psychic communication. The ice-eyed Captain shivered: He felt cold and empty without Kai's presence to warm him from the inside out.

"Mind filling us in, Tala?" Bryan questioned with a raised eyebrow.

"I can't go into detail," Tala said, "But Kai's trying to pick up on those vibes you mentioned earlier." The Russian Wolf fell silent, refocusing his attention on the other Captain.

Kai's body tensed then jerked violently as a wordless cry split the air and all of the windows throughout the entire building simultaneously shattered. Kenny, Ian, Bryan, and Spencer were knocked down by an invisible force and Tala tackled Kai to the floor, shielding his lover's body with his own as bits of broken glass rained down on them.

Tala lifted himself up, dislodging pieces of glass from his person, and worriedly studied Dranzer's master: Kai's mouth was open and the muscular chest heaved as the slate-haired Russian tried to take in a breath. **"Breathe, Kai!"** Tala shouted, reverting back to his native language as something overshadowed the fierce crimson eyes, draining them of their jewel-like radiance. **"Kai!"** the Russian Wolf persisted, shaking the unresponsive body when Kai continued to stare into nothingness, his once-fierce eyes now dull and lifeless and his chest distressingly motionless.

The red-haired blader pressed his fingertips against the jugular vein in Kai's neck, detecting a faint, thready pulse. Tala tilted his lover's head back, opening his airway, and pinched Kai's nose closed. The redhead sealed his lips over the other Russian's and manually inflated the Phoenix's motionless lungs. /Don't you _do_ this to me, Hiwatari!/ Tala ordered, /_Breathe_, damn it!/

As if he'd heard his lover's plea, the slate-haired Captain sucked in a labored breath and momentarily returned to consciousness. "T-Tala-" Kai gasped incoherently, before his eyes rolled over white and the Phoenix passed out, chest still heaving for air.

Spencer pushed himself upright and crawled across the glass-strewn carpet towards the two Captains. "What the _hell_ was that!?" the blond Demolition Boy demanded as Bryan shimmied across the floor to see if Tala and Kai were all right. The lilac-haired Falcon grasped Kai's wrist and checked the slate-haired Phoenix's pulse.

"Dizzi," Kenny asked shakily, "Did you detect anything that might explain why all the windows broke like that?"

"Sorry, Chief. The burst of energy was too powerful and too brief for my sensors. I've got no data."

"**Is Kai gonna be okay?"** Ian inquired worriedly as the youngest Russian compulsively checked to see if his laptop had been damaged.

"**I'm fine,"** Kai rasped, signaling his return to consciousness.

"**Really?"** Spencer frowned skeptically.

"**Oh yeah,"** Bryan added sarcastically, **"You're the picture of health, Hiwatari."**

The Bladebreakers' Captain ignored the other Russians' snarky comments and met Tala's anxious blue eyes with his still-dazed red orbs. **"Rome, Italy,"** Kai muttered wearily, **"Voltaire is there."**

"**What!?"** Spencer exclaimed, eyes comically wide.

"**You ****_saw_**** this?"** Bryan questioned.

"**Spencer, Bryan,"** Kai continued as he struggled to keep his eyes open, **"Arrange to get the artillery out of storage. Ian…"** Kai paused, eyes momentarily fluttering shut before the slate-haired teen forced them back open. **"…Ian, hack into the BIOVOLT mainframe. See what you can find." **

"**Consider it done,"** Ian replied.

"**Tala-"** the Phoenix began, only to be interrupted by the redhead.

"**I'm in charge of making sure that you take the time to recover,"** Tala interjected. Ice-blue eyes softened as the Russian Wolf carded his fingers through the other Captain's slate-colored bangs. **"Get some rest, Kai."**

"**Hn,"** Kai hummed as his crimson eyes slipped shut, unable to hold off exhaustion any longer.

The redhead turned to the other Demolition Boys, **"We'll meet at the hotel later."** He gently lifted Kai into his arms and carried him bridal style towards the exit as he continued, **"Until then, watch yourselves. Don't draw any unwanted attention from BIOVOLT or the BBA."**

"**Right,"** Spencer, Ian, and Bryan replied simultaneously.

"What should I say to explain what happened to the windows?" Kenny asked as he opened the door for Tala.

"You're a smart boy," Tala said dismissively. "You'll figure something out." Pivoting on his heel, Tala carried the Bladebreakers' sleeping Captain down the hallway and out of sight.

* * *

As Tala walked down the different corridors, he secretly marveled at the amount of destruction around him. The redhead had spent quite a few nights pondering his lover's seemingly supernatural powers: Aside from telepathy, precognitive visions, and the ability to control and withstand fire, Tala theorized that Kai also had telekinetic powers as well.

The redhead gazed down at the teenager cradled protectively in his arms. Kai was undeniably powerful, but he was not invincible and Tala secretly feared that the very powers that gave his lover such awesome strength would also lead to the red-eyed warrior's death. 'And maybe,' the red-haired Russian realized, 'Kai's afraid of that too. Maybe that's why he was so reluctant to use his power of premonition to track Voltaire.' Tala shook his head, shaking away the depressing thoughts.

Shards of glass crunched beneath Tala's weight as he walked passed startled bystanders in the lobby. 'Take a freakin' picture, Dumbasses,' the Russian Wolf thought irritably. He pushed open the pane-less lobby doors, stepped out onto the sidewalk, and groaned when a crowd of reporters, with cameras, caught sight of him.

"Was there a bomb planted in the BBA's main office?"

"Was this an assassination attempt? If so, who was the intended target: The Demolition Boys, the former world champions, the reigning world champions, the Bladebreakers, or Stanley Dickenson, the President of the BBA?"

"Is Hiwatari-sama all right?"

"Was anyone else hurt?"

"No comment." Tala glared at the horde of over-eager reporters and pushed passed them. He'd only managed a few steps before they surrounded him again. Tala's patience was about to run out when a BBA limousine pulled up, the front right tire bouncing up over the curb in its rush to park.

Rei opened the door and waved him over. "Hurry," the neko-jin called, "Get in!"

Tala broke away from the reporters and dashed to the limo. Quickly pulling Kai's silky white scarf in after them, Tala slammed the car door shut and ordered, "Let's go!" Leaving the swarm of cameras behind, Tala breathed an inaudible sigh of relief. The red-haired Russian shifted the unconscious Phoenix into a more comfortable position. **"That was close. We were almost eaten alive by piranha paparazzi."**

"What happened while we were gone?" Mr. Dickenson asked fretfully. "We had just been seated at the restaurant when I was notified about an explosion at the BBA office. Was Voltaire responsible?"

Voltaire's name reached Kai's ears through the haze of unconsciousness and Kai grimaced, subconsciously curling closer to Tala and grabbing onto the Wolf-blader's shirt. The Russian Wolf looked down, a worried frown tugging at his lips when the Phoenix's heart rate and breathing fluctuated. He tugged Kai's clinging fingers free from the fabric of his shirt and unobtrusively laced their fingers together instead.

"I think that you Demolition Boys are in league with Voltaire and that you've been playing us the whole time!" Tyson shouted, pointing an accusing finger at the ice-eyed Captain.

Kai hid his face in Tala's shoulder, muffling a choked exhalation of misery. "Will you shut up about that man!?" Tala hissed angrily, "You're upsetting Kai."

"I won't shut up when I know it's the truth," the navy-haired Bladebreaker insisted loudly. "You're in cahoots with Voltaire!"

"**Niet****,"** Kai growled, his muscular body tensing. **"Do whatever you want to me, but leave the others alone."** The slate-haired blader's breathing caught audibly in his throat. **"N-No. No more…"**

"**It's all right, Kai,"** the redhead whispered. **"It's only a nightmare. No one is going to hurt you."** Kai slowly relaxed as the redhead rubbed his back with soothing circles, slumping bonelessly against Wolborg's master. Tala fixed Dragoon's master with a glare that would have curdled fresh milk. "Just shut up," the redhead snarled. Tyson opened his mouth but clamped it shut again as Tala growled menacingly, "You don't have a clue what's going on or about what we've been through, so just do us all a favor and shut the _hell_ up."

The silence that ensued was almost deafening. Max gestured helplessly at his unconscious Captain. "Is Kai okay?" the blond asked. "Was anyone else hurt?"

"He'll be okay. He's just…exhausted," Tala answered civilly: He could see that the blond Bladebreaker was sincerely worried about his Captain. "And no, nobody was hurt." He added to himself, /Luckily. Maybe Kai was right. Maybe it wasn't worth it./

//It was worth it.//

Tala startled when Kai unexpectedly spoke to him telepathically. "Jesus Christ, Kai," he muttered aloud, trying to slow his racing heart and ignoring the looks he was getting from the other passengers. /Did I send that thought to you?/

//I heard you, so you must have,// Kai answered practically.

/D'you really think it was worth it?/ Tala frowned.

//Now we know where the new BIOVOLT headquarters is,// the bluenette replied simply.

/Yeah, I know./ Tala squeezed his lover's hand. /I know I encouraged you to use your precognitive abilities like that, but…it only aggravated your condition and-/

//Red, I'm _fine_, okay? Don't worry so much.//

/But-/

//No buts,// The Russian Phoenix scolded gently. //It had to be done. We didn't have much of a choice.//

/You should rest-/

//No,// Kai interrupted unhappily, //I should be training, but I…but I just feel so damn _weak_.//

Tala's impassive mask slipped, betraying his surprise. /You're not weak, Kai,/ he argued. /Even the strongest people need to take time to rest and recover./

//I guess you've got a point.//

"Of course I do," Tala said smugly.

//You do realize,// Kai chuckled telepathically, //That you just said that out loud, right?//

"What!?" Tala exclaimed, "I did not!"

Kai's mouth twitched as he suppressed a smirk. //You're still talking out loud.//

Tala was about to argue when Rei interjected, "Ano, Tala, who're you talking to?"

Tala's ice-blue eyes darted from face to face as he felt himself blush. He stuttered, "W-Well, I-I, um-"

Kai opened his crimson eyes and sat up slowly. "Told you," Dranzer's master quipped.

"You don't have to rub it in," Tala grumbled, his blush darkening. Kai's crimson eyes sparked, obviously amused at the other Russian's expense. "Stop it."

//You love me,// Kai smirked. //Right?//

Tala blinked. /You know I do.// Tala bit his lip. //How much do you love me?/

Kai grinned wickedly. //This much.// Kai opened the empathetic part of the connection they shared, having instinctively shut it down in order to protect his lover from the premonition-induced pain. The Phoenix-blader projected a sense-memory of the two of them making love through their bond.

"Why'd you stop?" Tala inquired, enjoying the residual tingles of pleasure.

Mr. Dickenson cleared his throat loudly. "Would you care to explain what happened at the BBA office after we left?"

/What're we gonna tell him?/

"We destroyed the listening devices Voltaire had hidden in your office." The slate-haired Captain shrugged. "I guess the combined force of our Bit Beasts blew out all the windows."

/Smooth,/ Tala complimented. /I was there and I almost believed that./

Mr. Dickenson looked distressed. "There were bugs in my office!? Voltaire might know about our efforts to find him and stop him."

"How could he even get the bugs planted in the first place?" Rei asked. "You've got some pretty tight security around there."

Tala rolled his eyes. /Planting those wires would've been easier than flipping a light switch./ Kai chuckled, but quickly covered it up with a fake cough. /Nice save, Hiwatari,/ Tala teased. /Not obvious at all./

Kai raised a single eyebrow. //Well, it was a lot better than saying intelligent things such as, 'W-Well, I-I, um-.' Wouldn't you agree?//

Tala flushed furiously. "Shut up!"

"Make me."

"Oh, I'll make you all right," Tala sneered threateningly.

"And just how exactly are you planning to do that?" Kai taunted, clearly unafraid.

Tala leaned over so his face was inches away from Kai's. /You'll just have to wait and see./

//I hate waiting,// Kai grumbled.

Tala chuckled. /You know you're adorable when you pout./

//And you're adorable period.//

/Flattery will gain you no sympathy later./

//Will it get you to kiss me any faster?//

/You see, I would,/ Tala grinned, indicating the bewildered Bladebreakers with his eyes. /But I think _they_ might have something to say about it./

//Fuck them and their opinions. I want a kiss!//

/I'd rather fuck you./

Kai glanced over at his confounded teammates. //You're right,// he sighed with obvious disappointment. //I couldn't do everything I want to do with them gaping at us.//

"Hmph," Tala huffed as he backed away from the older teen.

//Now who's pouting?// Kai chuckled out loud when Tala retaliated by petulantly sticking out his tongue.

"Er, I think I must've missed something," Max commented, forehead furrowed in confusion.

"You and me both," Rei confessed.

"Did you have any luck with the map?" Mr. Dickenson inquired suddenly, as though he'd just remembered.

"We've made progress," Kai answered, gesturing vaguely with his hand.

/I just thought of something,/ Tala said telepathically, /The others don't know about the lie we told to Dickenson. What if they say something that contradicts our story before we get a chance to fill them in?/

Kai frowned. //You're right.// The bluenette carefully considered his options, 'I can connect with them and send them a message telepathically, but it would severely drain my strength reserves.' Kai looked up at Tala. There really wasn't any other choice: He'd have to do it. //I'll take care of it.//

/How? I'm sure the conspiracy theorist over there-/ Tala indicated the Dragon-blader with a flick of his eyes, /Will be suspicious if we just call them./

//I'm going to contact them telepathically.//

Tala's forehead furrowed. /But, I thought that I was the only one you could talk to like that./

Kai sighed. 'How should I explain this?' he mused. //Our link is special because it's natural; it's been a part of us ever since we connected as friends and it strengthened when we became lovers. Contacting the others this way is different, because I'm making temporary connections to their minds.//

/All right,/ the Russian Wolf agreed, feeling somewhat reluctant to let his abbey brothers share a mental connection with his lover, even if it was only temporary. /Do you need me to do anything?/

//Yeah, I need you to hold me.//

Tala raised a surprised eyebrow. /I'm not complaining, but…why?/

//Making connections to other people's minds, even from this distance away, wouldn't normally be a problem, but using my precognitive abilities so much today has drained my mental reserves. I probably won't be able to stay conscious and I don't want the Bladebreakers to freak when I pass out.//

/How am I supposed to hold onto you without looking strange to them?/

//Just follow my lead.//

/Whatever you say./ Tala agreed, curious to see how his lover was going to play this.

The slate-haired Captain leaned forward, massaging his temples with trembling fingers. "Shimatta," Kai swore softly, though loudly enough to attract the others' attention.

"What's wrong, Kai?" Tyson asked, navy-blue eyes darkening with worry.

"Nothing," Kai grunted. "Just a migraine."

"I might have some Aspirin here in my backpack," Max offered.

"No," Kai said through clenched teeth, "Those pills won't work." Kai offered the blond Bladebreaker a tight smile that twisted into a grimace. "I'll be-" He broke off, a low groan rumbling in his throat as he started to tilt towards the floor of the limousine.

Tala pulled Kai into his arms before the Phoenix could slip off the seat. "I've got you, Kai."

"Maybe we should take him to a doctor," Rei suggested.

"No," Kai protested, pressing his palms against his eyes as if an attempt to ward off a headache.

"The only thing a doctor can do is sedate him and keep him under observation in the hospital."

"No hospital," Kai ordered in a whisper.

Tala ran his fingers through the slate-colored bangs. "And let's face it: We'd have to sedate him just to get him _near_ the hospital." Tala sighed: The Bladebreakers looked confused. "Kai _hates_ hospitals. You'd never get him near one without knocking him unconscious." Tala inclined his head at the teen in his arms. "He'd fight, you know? He'd kick and scratch and bite…" The red-haired Russian shook his head, vividly recalling how Hiwatari had bitten an abbey guard's ear completely off in his efforts to avoid being taken to the 'medical' ward. "He just needs us to be quiet so he can rest and recover."

"Okay," Max murmured quietly and everyone fell silent, worry etched onto each of their faces.

/I thought you didn't want them to worry,/ Tala chided telepathically.

//I said I didn't want them to panic when I pass out,// Kai replied. //Besides,// Kai added with an empathetic shrug, //They're just disconcerted about the lengths I'd go to in order to avoid a hospital.// There was a brief pause before Kai continued, //Tala, don't use the link right now. It might complicate my connections with the others.//

/Okay./ the blue-eyed Captain unobtrusively took hold of his lover's hand and warned, /Be careful./

//Always.// The Russian Phoenix squeezed Tala's hand, before he reached out with his supernatural senses, searching for the other Demolition Boys' distinctive life-energy signatures among the thousands of other people in the city, and began the arduous task of creating the necessary psychic connections.

* * *

_**Author's Notes:** Ta da! Chapter Three is up. If I've mis-translated any of the Japanese or Russian words, please tell me so that I can fix the errors; I don't speak any languages other than English (unless you count a tiny bit of Spanish that I learned in high school and college), so I'm basing my translations off of translation websites and how other writers commonly define the foreign terminology. I've seen the Russian word for "No" spelled two different ways ("Niet" and "Nyet") and I honestly don't know which one is correct...hopefully I've picked the right one. ***shrugs.***_

_I'll be posting Chapter Four today as well, but just so you know, it's a bit shorter than this one. Hopefully this one will compensate for the shorter post next time, because this chapter was took me a long time to write and revise; It was worth it though, because I think the dialouge seems pretty natural (in character) and the chapter flows pretty well. Please leave a review and take the time to vote in the poll on my profile page._

_Thanks for reading!_

_The Swordsman_


	4. Of Shrines And Solitaire

Underneath the Surface

_**Disclaimer:**__ I do not own Beyblade or any of the characters therein. I am making no monetary profit from this or any of my other fanfiction stories; they are written solely for my own enjoyment and the enjoyment of other fanfiction readers._

_**Summary:**__ Kai and the Demolition Boys are determined to take BIOVOLT down. Can they succeed despite meddlesome Bladebreakers and ambush attempts? To make matters worse: Kai's slowly being killed by his own supernatural abilities. Pairings: Kai/Tala; Spencer/Bryan. __**This story is rated **__**Mature**__** because of the profanities, the romantic pairings, and the lemon scenes! If you are offended by any of these things then do **__**not**__** read this story!**_

_**Author's Note:**__ Unless otherwise indicated, the characters are all speaking in Japanese, because the Bladebreakers are a Japanese beyblading team, even though the team members are of varying nationalities. The Bladebreakers and the Demolition Boys are also fluent in English, because English, Russian, and Japanese are the official languages of professional beyblading; therefore, when they are around the American or other European beyblading teams, they speak English because the American and European teams speak in English unless otherwise noted._

* * *

Key

"Speaking"

"**Speaking in Russian"**

'Thoughts'

Dreams and Flashbacks

"(Speaking in Another Language)"

*Visions*

/Tala Talking Telepathically to Kai/

//Kai Talking Telepathically to Tala//

{Others Talking to Kai Telepathically}

{{Kai Talking to Others Telepathically}}

* * *

Glossary of Russian and Japanese Terminology:

Kami: "God" in Japanese.

Da: "Yes" or "Yeah" in Russian.

* * *

Chapter Four: Of Shrines and Solitaire

Spencer cautiously surveyed the modest little temple from across the expansive courtyard. The blond-haired Russian idly tossed a small stone into the serene pond, frightening the school of koi fish that lived among the Lilly pads. The shrine caretaker, Ryu Soto, had agreed to store several duffel bags for them, unaware of the fact that the bags contained an assortment of weaponry.

Spencer nodded politely to a pair of passing tourists and leaned back against the trunk of a Sakura tree. To ensure that they hadn't been followed and that there were no BIOVOLT soldiers waiting to ambush them, the two Demolition Boys had agreed to split up in order to do a thorough reconnaissance of the area. The Whale-blader glanced at his wristwatch. 'Bryan's due back any second now,' Spencer thought and, sensing someone approaching, turned to see his lilac-haired teammate silently crossing the planks of the wooden bridge that spanned the koi fish pond. "Anything?"

"**Niet,"** Bryan tersely replied, crossing his arms in front of his chest. "It's clear."

"Let's go find Soto-san then," Spencer responded. The two teens strode across the courtyard, leaving the Zen garden behind. The two Russians walked up to the temple doors and stepped inside. Spencer stifled a sneeze as the cloying smell of incense tickled his nose.

Bryan raised a single lilac-colored eyebrow and regarded his taller teammate. "Need a tissue?" he asked sarcastically.

"Nah," Spencer answered, subtly wiping his nose on the sleeve of his jacket. "I'm good."

"Che," Bryan scoffed, eyeing the blond's sleeve with a frown of disgust. The two Demolition Boys strolled into the main sanctuary, pausing momentarily to both scan their surroundings for potential threats and to admire the exquisite jade statues and intricately-detailed wall scrolls. Movement at the front of the room attracted Bryan's attention. The lilac-haired blader nudged the taller Russian. "There's Soto."

Spencer nodded absently as he watched the elderly caretaker tend to the ornate golden candelabras on a small table. "D'you think he'll remember us?"

"Tch," the lilac-haired Russian scoffed, "Of course he'll remember us. How many people d'you think ask him to store secret packages for them?"

"Yeah," Spencer coughed, looking embarrassed. "I guess you're right, Bry."

"Of course I'm right," Bryan declared. "And don't call me Bry," the lilac-haired blader added as they moved across the room, attracting the old man's attention.

"I'm Ryu Soto," he began, offering the two Demolition Boys a genial smile. "Is there something I can do for you boys?"

"We've met before, Soto-san," Spencer replied. "You're keeping some of our possessions in storage for us here at the shrine."

"Kami!" Soto exclaimed excitedly as he rushed to greet the two Russians. "Bryan, Spencer," the caretaker continued, "I _thought_ I recognized you."

"Are you still keeping everything for us?" Bryan queried affably as he shook the Japanese man's hand.

"Oh yes," the caretaker nodded as he shook hands with Spencer, "Everything is just as you left it." Soto released the blond blader's hand. "Can I assume," he asked, "That you've come to retrieve the items that you left here?"

"That's right," Spencer confirmed, "But we'd like to come pick up our gear later tonight."

"The shrine is open to tourists until seven o'clock," Ryu explained, "But you could come by afterwards."

"Sounds good," Bryan agreed.

"We'll see you tonight then, Soto-san," Spencer said.

"I'll look forward to it," the elderly caretaker replied.

* * *

Bryan and Spencer walked several blocks until the sparsely-populated side streets gave way to the bustling city streets and shops. The two teens mingled with the crowds of people, virtually disappearing from sight, before hailing a taxi.

"Where to?" the cab driver asked, glancing in the rearview mirror at the two passengers in the backseat.

"The coffee shop on Kouen Street," Spencer answered, intentionally naming a destination a few blocks away from the BBA headquarters in order to confuse any potentially-lurking BIOVOLT trackers.

"**Soto hasn't changed much,"** Bryan commented as he casually propped his elbow against the car window and rested his right cheek against his fisted knuckles.

"**He's got a lot of energy for somebody his age,"** Spencer agreed. The blond Russian opened his mouth to continue, but abruptly closed it again when a strange, warm pressure swelled up inside his skull. "**You feel it too?"** Spencer asked as he caught sight of his lilac-haired teammate's alarmed expression.

"**Da,"** Bryan replied shortly, pinching the bridge of his nose in an attempt to get the unfamiliar pressure to dissipate. **"What ****_is_**** it?"** the lilac-haired Demolition Boy growled, clearly disconcerted by the strange pressure that ballooned up within his mind.

Both bladers startled when a familiar, smooth baritone reverberated through their thoughts. {{It's me: Kai.}}

"**W-What?"** Bryan stuttered aloud, **"H-How?"**

{{You don't have to physically speak for me to hear you,}} the slate-haired Phoenix replied candidly. {{Just think _at_ me and I'll hear you.}}

{Kai?} Spencer queried. {I thought you could only talk to Tala with your telepathy?}

{{No, I can connect with anyone telepathically, but unlike the permanent link Tala and I share, these connections are temporary,}} the Bladebreakers' Captain patiently explained. {{They'll deteriorate as soon as I retreat from your minds.}}

{{I assume,} Bryan commented gruffly, {{That you have something important to tell us if you're contacting us this way.}}

{{**Da**}} Kai sighed. {{Dickenson wanted an explanation for what happened at the BBA office, so I had to come up with a fitting lie: If anyone asks, we used our Bit Beasts to destroy the wires in the office and the combined force caused the explosion. The weapons?}}

{We've arranged to go back to the shrine tonight after the tourists leave to get them,} Spencer reported dutifully. {We're en route back to the BBA building right now.}

{{Good,}} Kai responded, {{I'll talk to you both later. Watch your sixes.}} Just as suddenly as it appeared, the Phoenix's psychic presence retreated, leaving Bryan and Spencer feeling strangely bereft.

* * *

Kenny peered over Ian's shoulder and whistled. "I've hacked into a few sites, but I've never even heard of any of these security measures before!"

"Aa," Ian grunted distractedly as he bypassed the last security barrier. He quickly searched for information on any new experiments and downloaded the files onto a disk. 'I've gotta get out of the system before they realize I'm here.' The youngest Demolition Boy covered his electronic tracks, closed the hacking program, removed the disk from the computer drive, and slipped it into his pocket. The youngest Demolition Boy rolled his eyes at the argument Kenny and Dizzi were having and started a game of Solitaire to ward off looming boredom. An oddly warm pressure swelled up in Ian's head, and Ian viciously fought down a surge of panic.

{{Ian,}} a familiar voice called gruffly, {{It's Kai.}}

"Kai?" the Russian hacker whispered confusedly.

{{Yes, I'm talking to you telepathically, but the connection is only temporary and it'll deteriorate once I leave your mind.}

"Oh," Ian murmured under his breath, his quiet voice inaudible because of Kenny and Dizzi's ongoing debate.

{{You don't have to talk aloud,}} Kai explained, his baritone voice tinted with a faint hint of amusement. {{Just think _to_ me and I'll pick you up.}}

{Er, can you hear me now?} Ian thought, snorting a laugh as he reminded himself of a Verizon Wireless commercial. A series of energy pulses answered him, which he understood as an affirmative response. {So,} Ian questioned, {What's up?}

{{Dickenson asked about the explosion so I came up with this cover story: It was caused by the combined power of our Bit Beasts when we demolished Voltaire's hidden listening devices. Make sure that Kenny and Dizzi know the cover story, because Dickenson and the Bladebreakers will probably ask them about the explosion too. Also,}} the Phoenix-blader continued, {{We're going to the shrine later tonight to collect the weaponry Soto has been keeping for us.}}

{Ryoukai,} Ian responded. {We'll need a car to transport the weapons, so I'll set up a new alias so we don't leave a paper trail and I'll reserve a rental for tonight.}

{{Get something with a lot of trunk space.}}

{I will,} Ian answered, smothering a laugh. {I did some digging in the BIOVOLT computer mainframe like you asked me to,} the youngest Russian continued, {And I found some files that should make for some interesting reading. I downloaded the data onto my laptop and a backup disk and we can review it later when we meet up at the hotel.}

{{Good work,}} Kai said, his telepathic voice sounding slightly strained. {{I've gotta go now, but I'll talk to you at the hotel later.}} The pressure swiftly dispersed from Ian's mind, like the air escaping from a balloon, and the youngest Demolition Boy subconsciously shivered as Kai's warm presence vanished.

"Kenny, Dizzi," Ian called, "We have an explanation for what caused the explosion," the young Demolition Boy explained. "Kai and Tala used it."

"But how do you _know_ that's what Kai and Tala told Mr. Dickenson?" Kenny asked once Ian had related all the pertinent information to them.

"Email," Ian lied blandly as he began crafting a new alias identity on his computer.

* * *

Tyson hesitantly cleared his throat. "Are you _sure_ we shouldn't take him to a doctor?" the navy-haired Dragon-blader asked.

"Yeah," Rei agreed, anxiously noticing his Captain's pallid complexion and the beads of perspiration on the bluenette's forehead. "Kai really doesn't look so good."

"No," Tala said, shaking his head, "Kai doesn't trust doctors."

"Why doesn't Kai trust doctors?" Max questioned, blue eyes alight with a curious innocence that made Tala's throat tighten. How could he ever explain to someone as innocent and naïve as Max that no one from the abbey trusted doctors. In the abbey, doctors often stood by while BIOVOLT scientists conducted life-threatening experiments on unlucky beybladers. Sometimes, the experiments were done as punishment for failure during training; other times, you were dragged to the lab because of your strength and resilience.

"**Tala,"** Kai muttered, signaling his return to awareness and snapping Tala out of his dark thoughts. The crimson-eyed Phoenix pried his heavy eyelids open and shifted slightly in the redhead's arms. **"Message delivered,"** the slate-haired Russian murmured wearily. **"They gave me a status report…"** Kai's voice trailed off as he yawned.

"**Hush, that can wait,"** Tala responded soothingly, **"Just rest."**

"**Tired…"** Kai whispered, voice nearly inaudible as crimson eyes slid shut and his body yielded to unconsciousness. The Russian Wolf hugged the lax body and tenderly brushed a slate-colored lock of hair out of his lover's face.

* * *

_**Author's Notes:** Ta da! There's Chapter Four. Again, if I've mis-translated any of the Japanese or Russian words, please tell me so that I can fix the errors. __I've got a bit more revising to do for Chapter Five, but I'm hoping to have it posted sometime next week. I could, however, be persuaded ***cough*** bribed ***cough*** with reviews to post Chapter Five sooner. Also, please remember to vote in the poll on my profile page; I realize that it's not related to this story, but I'd really appreciate some feedback from those of you who are interested in reading a Bleach/ Yu Yu Hakusho crossover story._

_Thanks for reading!_

_The Swordsman_


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